Expression of Connexin 43 in the hearts of rat embryos exposed to nitrofen and effects of vitamin A on it

Rats with experimental congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) have heart hypoplasia and conotruncal and great vessel malformations that are likely related to disturbed neural crest developmental control. Neural crest cells communicate through intercellular gap junctions whose main protein is Connexin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatric surgery international 2006-01, Vol.22 (1), p.61-65
Main Authors: Gonzalez-Reyes, Salome, Fernandez-Dumont, Virginia, Calonge, Wenceslao M, Martinez, Leopoldo, Tovar, Juan A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abnormalities, Multiple - embryology
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Connexin 43 - drug effects
Connexin 43 - metabolism
Disease Models, Animal
Female
Heart - embryology
Heart Defects, Congenital - embryology
Hernia, Diaphragmatic - embryology
Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital
Neural Crest - embryology
Neural Crest - metabolism
Phenyl Ethers
Pregnancy
Random Allocation
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Signal Transduction
Vitamin A - pharmacology
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Summary:Rats with experimental congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) have heart hypoplasia and conotruncal and great vessel malformations that are likely related to disturbed neural crest developmental control. Neural crest cells communicate through intercellular gap junctions whose main protein is Connexin 43 (Cx43). The migration and participation of neural crest cells in heart development is likely influenced by this protein which might be also directly involved in myocardial development. Vitamin A is beneficial for heart hypoplasia in CDH rats. The aims of this study were to examine the status of Cx43 in the heart of embryonal rats exposed to nitrofen and to assess if vitamin A reverts these effects. Pregnant rats received either 100 mg nitrofen or olive oil on E9.5. Each group was divided into two subgroups according to the subsequent treatment with intragastric vitamin A (15,000 i.u.) or vehicle on E10.5 and E11.5. The pups were recovered on E13, E15, and E21 and the hearts were dissected out and pooled. Cx43 mRNA expression was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Comparisons among groups were made with ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests with a threshold of significance of P
ISSN:0179-0358
1437-9813
DOI:10.1007/s00383-005-1583-6